Monday, August 17, 2009

Hanuman mandir, sankrar mandapam and Triveni sangamam. Allahabad.

Allahabad

This place is about 135 KMS from varanasi.Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati, blessed by gods, came to be known as 'Prayag' or 'Allahabad'. Foreseeing the sanctity of the place, Lord Brahma also called it as 'Tirth Raj' or 'King of all pilgrimage centres.' The Scriptures - Vedas and the great epics - Ramayana and Mahabharata, refer to this place as Prayag.

Thriveni sangamam

The sacred Sangam, is the confluence of three of the holiest rivers in Hindu mythology Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati. At the Sangam, the waters of the Ganges and the Yamuna can be distinctly seen to merge into one. Once in 12 years Kumba mela takes place attracting people from all over the country.

Hanuman Mandir

The temple is in kila ghat, near the Sangam.

This temple is unique in North India. Here the 20’ big idol of Lord Hanuman is seen in a reclining posture. When the Ganga is in spate, this temple gets submerged.

Sankar Viman Mandapam

The mandapam is 130 feet high with three floors. Near the entrance gate we see the idols of Kumarila Bhattar and Jagatguru Shankaracharya, meeting and to the other side, discussion between Mandana misrar and Adi sankarar.

As you enter the temple we see Kamakshi Deviin sitting posture (with 51 Shaktipeethas around). On the outer wall of Kamakshi sanctum, we see Panchamukha gayathri, Moogmbikai, Durgai, Vindhyavasini , Ganga matha and saraswathy Tapas Kamakshi sculptures and paintings of life history of Adi sankarar.

In the second floor Vishnu as balaji and veni Madhavar in front of him. We see 108 saligrahma in the sanctum. As we go around we can see the sculptures of Narashimar, Vamana etc. All around the wall beautiful paintings from Ramayana is seen.

In the third floor Yoga sahastra Linga is seen made of one single stone. We can see 1008 small lingas in one big lingam which weighs 10 tones. There is a Rudrakshra mandapam for sahasra lingam in the sanctum. In this floor around the sanctum we see Dwadasa Lingam Pichadanar, Somaskandar, Dandayudhapani, Ardhanreeswarar, sankara Narayanar idols, and Siva leela paintings to the walls.

The temple doors are made of sandal wood with beautiful carvings. As we come outside we have the darshan of Sowbaghya Ganapathy.

Akshyavat:

The immortal tree within the Patalauri temple, has found mention in the description of several ancient scriptures, writers and historians. The tree stands in a deep niche above an underground shaft, which is said to lead to Triveni.We are not allowed inside, so we did not visit the place.